Laura entered soon after, in no very pleasant mood, complaining of her long walk and unsatisfactory visit to Thurlston. She did not think Miss Raymond half so agreeable as she had fancied, and—what in Laura's opinion was worse than all—Raymond himself was out; Miss Raymond said he had gone to Langton: and great was Laura's indignation when she found Ethel had had the opportunity of meeting and conversing with him.

"You seemed to enjoy your walk home through the fields, notwithstanding your fatigue, Laura," Ethel said, as her sister threw herself on her bed, after divesting herself of her walking-dress.

"Pray when did you see me?" replied Laura, blushing.

"Just now, as we were returning home; and I was sorry to observe you with such a companion. Miss Hackett noticed it, too, and it makes her think you a flirt, dear Laura. Besides, really, I do not think you ought to encourage Mr. Thornhill's attentions."

Ethel advanced to her sister's side, and spoke in a doubtful, hesitating manner, afraid of offending Laura.

Laura knew Ethel was in the right, and this only served to annoy her the more, although she put on an injured look. "Do you suppose I care what Miss Hackett thinks of me? A prim old maid like her! As for you, Ethel, one would suppose you were my mother instead of my younger sister, by your manner of advising me; I do not think it very becoming of you," she said, colouring with indignation.

"You can, of course, do as you please, Laura. I do not mean to lecture you, but merely to show that I thought there seemed a manifest impropriety in your conduct. If you mean to favour Mr. Thornhill's suit, the case is different."

"I think I am the fittest person to judge of the propriety or impropriety of my actions, and need not be accountable to you for them, Ethel. But I happened to be walking unintentionally with Thornhill-we met accidentally; and if the officers will make a promenade of those fields I cannot hinder them. How could I tell him to leave me, when he happened to be there, pray?"

66

Perhaps not all at once, but you might have . shown a reluctance; you could have walked faster, and you need not have been seen talking to him at the door so long. I am not, however, referring to this instance alone, but many times you must be conscious of having permitted him to pay you marked attention, both in public and private. For example, allowing him to call so often, and seeing him when papa is out. I believe him to be attached to you, and therefore you should not trifle with his feelings; unless, as I before said, you mean to return them."

"Me marry Thornhill! A mere nobody! with hardly enough income to supply me with clothes! Trust me for that!" exclaimed Laura, in great indignation, throwing her head back haughtily.

"Then let me intreat you not to encourage him." "I shall please myself, Ethel. Thank you for all this unnecessary advice. I do not feel very much benefited by it," replied Laura, coldly.

"Well, do not let us quarrel about it."

"Just as you please. I do wish you would not trouble me."

"Very well. I say no more. Tea is ready, will

you come?"

"No; send mine up here."

Ethel left the room sadly. These discussions were not unfrequent between the sisters. Ethel tried to

restrain her indignation, and succeeded generally, however provoking her sister might be. She could not blind herself to the fact any longer that Laura was selfish, and that to gratify her own whims she would sacrifice another's feelings. Although Ethel could not esteem Thornhill as a man, she believed he was attached to Laura, and, no matter what a man may be, his feelings will never be trifled with by a generous woman for her own amusement. Whether to mention the matter to her father, was the question in Ethel's mind, but due consideration decided her not; he would either laugh at her scruples, or be angry with Laura, and each of these results would cause some unpleasantness: so, for the present, she resolved to let matters take their course.

CHAPTER VI.

"I wandered by her side in life's sweet spring,
When all the world seemed beautiful and young;
When Hope was truth, and she a peerless thing,
Round whom my heart's best, fondest wishes clung.
Her cheek was fanned, not smitten, by Time's wing;
Her heart Love had drawn sweets from, but ne'er stung;
And as in Youth's and Beauty's light she moved,
All blessed her. She was lovely and beloved!"

H. NEALE.

AFTER tea was over, Mr. Woodville, having an engagement, went out, and Laura condescended to come down-stairs, and with an air of languor threw herself upon the couch, took up a novel, and was soon absorbed in its contents. Ethel seated herself at the table, with Harry and his books on one side, and Minnie on the other. The evening closed in darkly, and lights were added earlier than usual, when, just as the party had again settled to their employments, a loud ring at the hall-door startled them.

"I wonder if that's my new jacket? Hobbs promised to send it home to-night or perhaps Dick Stevens, with the cricket-bat I lent him?" said Harry.

"Oh, nonsense! it's only papa coming in," replied Laura, hearing a gentleman's foot in the passage. But the door was suddenly thrown open by Sally, with something like a grin on her face as she ushered in

Mr. Raymond to the astonished party. A glance sufficed to show him the employment of each — Laura lying on the couch reading, Ethel sitting at the table with a Latin Dictionary before her, Harry writing an exercise, and Minnie learning to spell from a pictorial edition of "Reading made Easy."

"This is, I fear, an almost unpardonable intrusion on my part, but business of importance required that I should see Mr. Woodville this evening, and hearing that he was likely to return soon I requested to be allowed to wait for him, if not inconvenient," said Raymond, coming forward with the air of a well-bred man who is conscious that his presence will not be deemed an intrusion. Laura had thrown aside her book and sprung to her feet with her lovely golden hair thrown back, and with her blushing face, she looked beautiful in her confusion; while Ethel rose with perfect composure to greet Raymond, and then quietly resumed her seat near Harry.

"Pray do not let me disturb you," said Raymond, politely-hoping, however, Ethel would be disturbed; but she thanked him and returned to Harry, answering his questions as he continued to write, leaving Laura nothing loath to have the sole entertainment of their unexpected guest. Raymond answered Laura's questions politely, but his heart was not in his replies, and his eye often wandered with something like impatience to watch the beautiful profile of Ethel, whose instructions to her brother seemed insufferably long. At length he tried to attract Minnie to him, whose little bright eyes had been observing him slyly from behind Ethel for some time.

"Must I go, sissy?"

"Yes, certainly, if Mr. Raymond wishes you," re

plied Ethel.